Google dismisses Epic’s demands following antitrust victory as ‘unnecessary’ and ‘excessive’

In a new development in the ongoing legal battle between Google and Epic Games, Google is pushing back against Epic Games’ proposed remedies following a court ruling that found Google engaged in anticompetitive practices on its Play Store. The court’s decision late last year was a significant blow to Google, and now the two sides are debating how Google should change its behavior in light of the ruling.

Epic Games issued a long list of demands, including access to the Play Store catalog for six years, the ability to distribute its own app store on Google Play with no fees, and an end to agreements that give Google an advantage over rivals. Google, on the other hand, is arguing that Epic’s demands are overreaching and unnecessary, and would harm the privacy, security, and overall experience of consumers, developers, and device manufacturers.

Google’s filing in a U.S. District Court in California highlights concerns about user privacy and security if Epic’s proposed remedies were implemented. Google argues that Epic’s demands would remove its ability to implement trust and safety measures regarding third-party app stores, potentially exposing sensitive user data without proper consent.

The judge’s upcoming decision on the remedy in this case will have significant implications for how app stores deemed monopolists will have to make concessions to allow more competition. With ongoing legal battles against Apple and Google, the tech industry is closely watching to see how these cases will shape the future of tech giants’ power and the regulation of monopolies in the U.S.